The Berry Patch is a place in TN where the Berry Family dwell, abiding in Christ and aspiring to become more like Him day-by-day.

Thursday, August 10, 2017

August 10, 2017 … Is He Smiling?!

Berry Patch Devotions in 2017 - Day 222

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of images and lyrics from Don Men and a chorus leading in worship and singing … Shine, Jesus, Shine … worshipfully singing of our desire to live for the shining love of Christ.

=============Highlight Verse[s]: Psalm 80:3, 7, 19 [NLT] … 3, 7, 19 Make Your face shine down upon us (your people, Lord) …
… Three times in this song the Psalmist repeats his desire to have God smile on His people.
==============Highlight Passage [context]: Psalm 80 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Asaph, King David’s choir director, writes of his desire that God smile down on His people.
=============

Reference Passage #1 [NLT] : … Psalm 116, 2 [NLT] … 2 Be He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I breath!
… Knowing that God bends down to hear us, can we imagine that He’s smiling when He does.

Reference Passage #2 [NLT ] : … John 14:21 [NLT] … 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”
… I believe Jesus smiles thru our hearts when we show our love to Him thru our obedience.

Reference Passage #3 [NLT ] : … Luke 9:23 [NLT] … 23 Then He said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me.
… I believe Jesus smiles thru our hearts when we show our love to Him thru our obedience.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Dave Roper, used a clever poker illustration to write about God’s view of our lives. The ODB author wrote: I remember my father’s face. It was hard to read. He was a kind man, but stoic and self-contained. As a child, I often searched his face, looking for a smile or other show of affection. Faces are us. A frown, a sullen look, a smile, and crinkly eyes reveal what we feel about others. Our faces are our “tell.”

A “tell” in playing poker, is when a player’s face reveals his hand. And I think many reading here can remember the joy of seeing our father or mother smile, revealing their “hand” (or attitude) when we did something that pleased them. And so, can you imagine doing something that you just KNOW causes our Lord to smile (see photo)”

So, what can we do that makes Jesus smile? I’m sure you can list some things … like praying to Him with a humble/contrite heart [as in the highlight passage], … like being obedient to His commands even when it’s tough to do so [see John 14:21], … and like denying our self and closely following Him (see Luke 9:23).

So, what does that say to us [and certainly to me]? Well, it asks me what I’m going to do today to see my Lord’s “TELL” of a smile?

My Prayer Today: Abba Father, … King Jesus, … May I live today to make You smile! … Amen

Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.